Kyösti Kallio (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈkyø̯stiˈkɑlːio]; 10 April 1873 – 19 December 1940) was a Finnish politician who served as the fourth
president of Finland from 1937 to 1940. His presidency included leading the country through the
Winter War;[2] while he relinquished the post of commander-in-chief to
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, he played a role as a spiritual leader. After the war, he became both the first President of Finland to resign and the only one to die in office, dying of a
heart attack while returning home after submitting his resignation.
Kyösti Kallio, originally Gustaf Kalliokangas (forename's Swedish pronunciation:[ˈɡɵ̂sːtav], surname's Finnish pronunciation:[ˈkɑlːioˌkɑŋːɑs]), was born in
Ylivieska,
Grand Duchy of Finland, which was an autonomous region of the
Russian Empire at the time. His father Mikko Kalliokangas was a farmer and prominent local politician. Young Kyösti's life also included his father's unmarried and childless cousin, Anttuuna Kangas, or aunt Anttuuna, who arranged for the boy to go to
Raahe's junior high school in 1886.[5] After that, he was educated in
Oulu where he became acquainted with
Santeri Alkio, author and future ideologue of the
Agrarian League.[6]
Start of career
Kallio entered politics during the first
Russification campaign of Finland as a member of the
Young Finnish Party. He served in the
Diet of Finland from 1904 to 1906 as a member of the Estate of the Peasantry.[7] He joined the newly founded Agrarian League in 1906 and became one of its most prominent leaders.
Finland gains independence
After the
February Revolution of 1917 dethroned
Tsar Nicholas II, the Russian provisional government tasked Vice Admiral
Adrian Nepenin with overseeing the change of government in Finland. Nepenin started by inviting a handful of Finnish politicians to discuss the situation on March 17. Kallio represented the Agrarian League; and when the Finnish politicians the next day sent a delegation to
Saint Petersburg to negotiate a cessation to the Russification campaign, Kallio was again a member. The delegation was successful, and Finland was permitted to assemble a fully parliamentary Senate. Kallio came to serve as Agrarian minister in the Senate of
Oskari Tokoi, which took office March 26. Most of his time was spent trying to mediate the agrarian strikes and finding foodstuffs for the country, while the
First World War raised the prices in Europe.
After the Tsar had been dethroned, the Finnish Parliament had to decide whether the highest authority in the country had passed on to the Russian Provisional Government, the Finnish Parliament, or the Finnish Senate. The question led to serious strife between the right-wing and left-wing elements of the Parliament. Kallio initially supported the socialists in demanding that power transfer to the Parliament, but disapproved of their cooperation with Russian
Bolsheviks and
Mensheviks; and Kallio ultimately voted against the bill they had drafted. Nonetheless, the socialist proposal passed, which the Russian Provisional Government saw as an affront to their power; and
Alexander Kerensky consequently dissolved the Finnish Parliament on September 8. Kallio and the Socialist senators resigned from the senate, which continued to operate under the leadership of
E. N. Setälä.
After the
October Revolution, the Finnish bourgeoisie were willing to compromise and give parliament the highest authority fearing Bolshevik rule would spread to Finland. Setälä's Senate resigned immediately after the question was settled. Kallio was again named Agrarian Minister in the Senate of
P. E. Svinhufvud whose first priority was to declare Finland independent. On December 4 the Senate introduced a declaration of independence to the Parliament; and the next day Kallio wrote a resolution, which the Parliament passed with votes 100–88.
Civil war
During the
Civil War in Finland, Kallio hid in red-dominated Helsinki, because he was at least nominally on the
white side and therefore a "class enemy"; he formed a new senate (government) in Helsinki after German troops had defeated the
reds in the city. Afterwards he became a moderate peace-maker and disapproved of retaliation against the reds. In his reconciliation speech in
Nivala, Kallio said the following:
We have to create a Finland where there are no reds or whites, but only Finns who love their country, citizens of the Republic of Finland, who all feel like members of society and enjoy themselves here.[8][9]
Formation of the republic
During the debates over the form of the new state in 1918, Kallio resigned from the senate because he supported a
republic instead of
constitutional monarchy. Eventually, the
monarchist stand lost, and he returned to the Cabinet to become
prime minister. He was a reformist who emphasized education, settlement, and land reform. His greatest achievement was "
Lex Kallio" in 1922, legislation allowing the state to buy land to encourage new settlements, and to let the former tenant farmers and other landless rural people buy small farms (see, for example, Seppo Zetterberg et al., ed., "Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen").
Kallio was an
anti-communist, suppressing the
Communist Party of Finland (SKP) in 1923. However, he resorted to legislative methods. When the violent
right-wingLapua Movement asked him to become their leader, he refused and was then instead subjected to their death threats.
President
Kallio was elected president with the votes of a centrist (Agrarian and Progressive) and social democratic coalition, which wanted to ensure that
President Svinhufvud would not be re-elected. Kallio took the role of a
parliamentarian president and avoided use of his personal power.
On the eve of the
Winter War, when
Marshal Mannerheim once again threatened to resign from his post as chairman of Finland's Defence Council due to a schism with the cabinet, Kallio convinced him to stay. During the war Kallio resisted the idea of giving up any territory to the
Soviet Union, but was forced to agree to sign the
Moscow Peace Treaty in 1940. His health began to fail – and his right arm was paralyzed – He was not active in the dealings with Germany leading to the
Continuation War. On 27 August Kallio suffered a serious stroke.[10] Prime Minister
Risto Ryti took over his duties. Kallio's heart became weak while he knowingly took risks by agreeing to the formal farewell ceremonies.[11][12]
Resignation and death
Kallio left a notice of resignation on 27 November 1940. He was planning to leave the capital and retire to his farm at
Nivala after the farewell ceremonies on the evening of 19 December 1940; but he collapsed and died that night at the
Helsinki Central Railway Station in the arms of his adjutant before a guard of honour while a band played the patriotic Finnish march
Porilaisten marssi.[13][14][6] One story tells that Kallio died in the arms of
Marshal Mannerheim,[15] but this is most likely part of the construction of Mannerheim's personal cult. In reality, Kallio died in the arms of his adjutant
Aladár Paasonen[16] and colonel
A. F. Airo[citation needed].
Religious views
A significant part of Kallio's personality and a motive for the social reforms which he supported and promoted was his deep Christian faith, which he had adopted already at home, and which was deepened during his marriage to
Kaisa Nivala, who was also a devout Christian. Although Kallio was often too busy to go to church, he prayed often when encountering difficulties in making political decisions, and some of these prayers he recorded in his diary. He also read Christian books with his wife and often discussed them by exchanging letters. He often referred to God in his speeches, and during the Winter War he asked the Finns who were serving their country to read the Bible. When he was forced to sign the harsh
Moscow Peace Treaty in March 1940, Kallio quoted freely from the
Book of Zechariah, saying:
"May my hand, which is forced to sign such a paper, wither."
His right arm was paralysed the following summer, and he was forced to switch his writing hand. In the
Presidential Palace, shortly before leaving for Helsinki Central Railway Station for the last time, Kallio sang a hymn with his family.[11][17][18][citation needed]
In popular culture
Kallio was played by Ossi Ahlapuro in the 2001
television filmValtapeliä elokuussa 1940, directed by Veli-Matti Saikkonen.[19]
^Aladár Paasonen (1974). Marsalkan tiedustelupäällikkönä ja hallituksen asiamiehenä (Marshall's chief of intelligence and Government's official. In Finnish). Weilin, Göös, Helsinki
Kyösti Kallio (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈkyø̯stiˈkɑlːio]; 10 April 1873 – 19 December 1940) was a Finnish politician who served as the fourth
president of Finland from 1937 to 1940. His presidency included leading the country through the
Winter War;[2] while he relinquished the post of commander-in-chief to
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, he played a role as a spiritual leader. After the war, he became both the first President of Finland to resign and the only one to die in office, dying of a
heart attack while returning home after submitting his resignation.
Kyösti Kallio, originally Gustaf Kalliokangas (forename's Swedish pronunciation:[ˈɡɵ̂sːtav], surname's Finnish pronunciation:[ˈkɑlːioˌkɑŋːɑs]), was born in
Ylivieska,
Grand Duchy of Finland, which was an autonomous region of the
Russian Empire at the time. His father Mikko Kalliokangas was a farmer and prominent local politician. Young Kyösti's life also included his father's unmarried and childless cousin, Anttuuna Kangas, or aunt Anttuuna, who arranged for the boy to go to
Raahe's junior high school in 1886.[5] After that, he was educated in
Oulu where he became acquainted with
Santeri Alkio, author and future ideologue of the
Agrarian League.[6]
Start of career
Kallio entered politics during the first
Russification campaign of Finland as a member of the
Young Finnish Party. He served in the
Diet of Finland from 1904 to 1906 as a member of the Estate of the Peasantry.[7] He joined the newly founded Agrarian League in 1906 and became one of its most prominent leaders.
Finland gains independence
After the
February Revolution of 1917 dethroned
Tsar Nicholas II, the Russian provisional government tasked Vice Admiral
Adrian Nepenin with overseeing the change of government in Finland. Nepenin started by inviting a handful of Finnish politicians to discuss the situation on March 17. Kallio represented the Agrarian League; and when the Finnish politicians the next day sent a delegation to
Saint Petersburg to negotiate a cessation to the Russification campaign, Kallio was again a member. The delegation was successful, and Finland was permitted to assemble a fully parliamentary Senate. Kallio came to serve as Agrarian minister in the Senate of
Oskari Tokoi, which took office March 26. Most of his time was spent trying to mediate the agrarian strikes and finding foodstuffs for the country, while the
First World War raised the prices in Europe.
After the Tsar had been dethroned, the Finnish Parliament had to decide whether the highest authority in the country had passed on to the Russian Provisional Government, the Finnish Parliament, or the Finnish Senate. The question led to serious strife between the right-wing and left-wing elements of the Parliament. Kallio initially supported the socialists in demanding that power transfer to the Parliament, but disapproved of their cooperation with Russian
Bolsheviks and
Mensheviks; and Kallio ultimately voted against the bill they had drafted. Nonetheless, the socialist proposal passed, which the Russian Provisional Government saw as an affront to their power; and
Alexander Kerensky consequently dissolved the Finnish Parliament on September 8. Kallio and the Socialist senators resigned from the senate, which continued to operate under the leadership of
E. N. Setälä.
After the
October Revolution, the Finnish bourgeoisie were willing to compromise and give parliament the highest authority fearing Bolshevik rule would spread to Finland. Setälä's Senate resigned immediately after the question was settled. Kallio was again named Agrarian Minister in the Senate of
P. E. Svinhufvud whose first priority was to declare Finland independent. On December 4 the Senate introduced a declaration of independence to the Parliament; and the next day Kallio wrote a resolution, which the Parliament passed with votes 100–88.
Civil war
During the
Civil War in Finland, Kallio hid in red-dominated Helsinki, because he was at least nominally on the
white side and therefore a "class enemy"; he formed a new senate (government) in Helsinki after German troops had defeated the
reds in the city. Afterwards he became a moderate peace-maker and disapproved of retaliation against the reds. In his reconciliation speech in
Nivala, Kallio said the following:
We have to create a Finland where there are no reds or whites, but only Finns who love their country, citizens of the Republic of Finland, who all feel like members of society and enjoy themselves here.[8][9]
Formation of the republic
During the debates over the form of the new state in 1918, Kallio resigned from the senate because he supported a
republic instead of
constitutional monarchy. Eventually, the
monarchist stand lost, and he returned to the Cabinet to become
prime minister. He was a reformist who emphasized education, settlement, and land reform. His greatest achievement was "
Lex Kallio" in 1922, legislation allowing the state to buy land to encourage new settlements, and to let the former tenant farmers and other landless rural people buy small farms (see, for example, Seppo Zetterberg et al., ed., "Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen").
Kallio was an
anti-communist, suppressing the
Communist Party of Finland (SKP) in 1923. However, he resorted to legislative methods. When the violent
right-wingLapua Movement asked him to become their leader, he refused and was then instead subjected to their death threats.
President
Kallio was elected president with the votes of a centrist (Agrarian and Progressive) and social democratic coalition, which wanted to ensure that
President Svinhufvud would not be re-elected. Kallio took the role of a
parliamentarian president and avoided use of his personal power.
On the eve of the
Winter War, when
Marshal Mannerheim once again threatened to resign from his post as chairman of Finland's Defence Council due to a schism with the cabinet, Kallio convinced him to stay. During the war Kallio resisted the idea of giving up any territory to the
Soviet Union, but was forced to agree to sign the
Moscow Peace Treaty in 1940. His health began to fail – and his right arm was paralyzed – He was not active in the dealings with Germany leading to the
Continuation War. On 27 August Kallio suffered a serious stroke.[10] Prime Minister
Risto Ryti took over his duties. Kallio's heart became weak while he knowingly took risks by agreeing to the formal farewell ceremonies.[11][12]
Resignation and death
Kallio left a notice of resignation on 27 November 1940. He was planning to leave the capital and retire to his farm at
Nivala after the farewell ceremonies on the evening of 19 December 1940; but he collapsed and died that night at the
Helsinki Central Railway Station in the arms of his adjutant before a guard of honour while a band played the patriotic Finnish march
Porilaisten marssi.[13][14][6] One story tells that Kallio died in the arms of
Marshal Mannerheim,[15] but this is most likely part of the construction of Mannerheim's personal cult. In reality, Kallio died in the arms of his adjutant
Aladár Paasonen[16] and colonel
A. F. Airo[citation needed].
Religious views
A significant part of Kallio's personality and a motive for the social reforms which he supported and promoted was his deep Christian faith, which he had adopted already at home, and which was deepened during his marriage to
Kaisa Nivala, who was also a devout Christian. Although Kallio was often too busy to go to church, he prayed often when encountering difficulties in making political decisions, and some of these prayers he recorded in his diary. He also read Christian books with his wife and often discussed them by exchanging letters. He often referred to God in his speeches, and during the Winter War he asked the Finns who were serving their country to read the Bible. When he was forced to sign the harsh
Moscow Peace Treaty in March 1940, Kallio quoted freely from the
Book of Zechariah, saying:
"May my hand, which is forced to sign such a paper, wither."
His right arm was paralysed the following summer, and he was forced to switch his writing hand. In the
Presidential Palace, shortly before leaving for Helsinki Central Railway Station for the last time, Kallio sang a hymn with his family.[11][17][18][citation needed]
In popular culture
Kallio was played by Ossi Ahlapuro in the 2001
television filmValtapeliä elokuussa 1940, directed by Veli-Matti Saikkonen.[19]
^Aladár Paasonen (1974). Marsalkan tiedustelupäällikkönä ja hallituksen asiamiehenä (Marshall's chief of intelligence and Government's official. In Finnish). Weilin, Göös, Helsinki